- Wet conditions add a little bit of spice
to cornering on road bikes.
So, coming up are some things you need to bear in mind
to help you navigate turns safely in the wet.
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Lowering your tire pressure increases the surface area
of the tire that's in contact with the road,
giving you more grip, which is a good thing when it
comes to wet roads because wet roads are more slippery.
So, if I'm setting out on a ride and the roads
area already damp, then I'll knock at least 10 to 15 PSI
pressure out of my tires.
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Now the type of tire that you're using
can also play a big part.
Although, funny enough, on road bike tires, actually
tread pattern is not really an issue and that's
because the speed that we're going
and the narrowness of the tire means that
we're never really ever going to be aquaplaning.
But what is an issue is tire compound.
So whilst most good quality tires will have similar
levels of grip in the dry, there can be a big
disparity between manufacturers in the wet,
and that is down to tire compound.
We'll also talk about tire width as well,
because it goes back to that previous point
about the contact patch.
A wider tire will give you a greater contact patch
with the road than a narrow tire,
and it will also, remember, allow you to drop
the pressure even further.
So the difference between a 25 and a 28 mil tire
can be quite significant.
You can drop the pressure probably by about 20 psi.
So if you normally run 90 on your 25s you can probably
get away with 70 on your 28s.
And actually if I let you into a little secret here,
despite being 72 kilos, I'm running 50 psi
on my 28mm tires at the moment and it feels amazing.
And very grippy.
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If the level of grip on asphalt or tarmac is lessened
in the wet, then it's almost nonexistent on other
surfaces like drain covers or also white lines.
Now, you should always look ahead when cornering
or descending, so that you can find the right line,
but it's even more important in the wet,
so that you can avoid crossing such surfaces.
And if you can't avoid them at all, then just make sure
that you straighten the bike up, just momentarily,
as you do go over them and that way you'll lessen
your chances of actually slipping out.
(slow rock music)
Now, unless you're running discs, you are going to
have to bear in mind that braking
takes longer in the wet on rim brakes.
And even if you are using disc brakes,
to be fair, as we've already mentioned,
there is simply less traction on wet roads.
So slowing down will always take a bit of extra time.
To remedy this, what you need to do then
is just start braking a little bit earlier for corners
to allow you to slow down to the appropriate speed in time.
And a great little tip, actually, if you are using
rim brakes is to drag the brakes, even before you
want to slow down and that'll keep the rim surface
free of water, so when you need them,
they're going to become more effective.
Now, an added thing to bear in mind, is that while
it's always important to be able to slow down quickly,
it's even more important to do it for corners
because you really want to avoid
turning and braking at the same time.
'Cause that'll really push your luck
when it comes to traction.
And then also remember, as well as actually
not braking corners, you certainly
can't lean the bike over as far as well.
Again, coming back to that all important point
that there's just less grip available for your tires.
(jazz music)
Now, a final, small, but still significant point,
and that is that if you're riding in a group in the wet,
just give yourself a little bit more room
behind the rider in front.
And that's because if they make a hash of a corner,
you'll give yourself a little bit more time to react
and hopefully avoid meeting the same fate.
It'll also mean you get better visibility as well
'cause you'll be away from the spray from their back wheel.
The same is true, actually, not just from riding
with other riders of bikes, but also if you're
commuting to work, give yourself
a little bit more room behind cars as well.
So make sure you do your braking early,
certainly before you actually start turning,
and that you can't lean the bike over quite as far.
Give yourself a little bit more room when riding
in a group, and try and avoid those extra slippery
surfaces like drain covers and white lines.
And when it comes to your equipment,
let a bit of pressure out your tires,
and if you've got the choice, run slightly wider ones
with the grippiest compound that you can find.
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If you want some more content, we've got some special
wet-weather videos, as well, for you.
Click down there for Top 10 Wet Weather Riding Tips,
over here, How to Dress for Wet Weather Riding.